Ikepttheseobservationstomyself.Chesterfieldaskedtolookatthepapers,soI handedthemover,pointingouttheuniquepropertiesofthespiralramp.This sparkedsomethinginhim.Hiseyeslitup.
“ThetriskelionwasawombsymboltotheCelts,”hesaid,lookingatme proudly.“Oftentherewasasunsymbolinthemiddle,whichcouldbetakento representtherebirthofthesungod.Itcouldberelated.OnRosenberg’sroofhe’s gotawhitecircularsunrooftorepresentthatpartofthesymbol.”
“AndthesiteasawholelooksliketheSupermanlogo,”Parissaid.“Which,if youthinkaboutit,resemblesafemalepelvis.”
Iwasshockedbybothoftheircontributions.MostamazingwasthatParishad alsonotedtheresemblancetotheSupermansymbol.Theresemblancetofemale anatomyhadoccurredtometoo,butIhaddismissedit,sinceIdidn’ttakethe Supermanconnectionseriouslyinthefirstplace.
NowIthoughtaboutthefactthatSupermanworewhatappearedtobeapairof redbikinibriefsontheoutsideofhisblueleggings,asiftodrawattentiontothe pelvicshape.Atinglewentdownthebackofmyneck.Iknewwewereonto something.
“OK,”Isaid.“I’veneverheardthatbefore,butifyouthoughtofit,thatmeans somebodyelseprobablydidtoo.”
Icontemplatedtheoriginoftheword“SuperMan”involvingthe
“overman”theoriesofNietzsche,andhowHitleradoptedthem,thinkingthere wasanew“MasterRace”onthehorizon.AccordingtoHermanRauschning, Hitleroncesaidofthis:
Ihaveseenthenewman.Heisintrepidandcruel.Iwasafraidofhim.
Thentherewasthefirstuseoftheterm“Superman”inEnglish.Thiscamefrom AleisterCrowley’snovel Moonchild,theonewherehewroteaboutcreatinga childwithdivineparentagethroughsexmagick.Regardingthisprocess,hehad said:
…theideahasbeenalmostuniversalinoneformoranother;thewishhasalways beenforaMessiahorSuperman,andthemethodsomeattempttoproduceman byartificialoratleastabnormalmeans.
MymeditationonthesesubjectswasbrokenwhenIrealizedthatweweregoing bySt.Paul’sCathedralagain.ThenbeforeIknewit,thecarstoppedata stoplightbetweentwoofficebuildings.Paristurnedaroundtospeaktome.
“OK,youguyscangetout.”
“Wherearewe?”Iasked.
“RosenbergPlaza,”hesaid.“Theribbon‐cuttingwillhappenontheWalbrook side,east,rightinfrontoftheentrancetothe mithraeum.Thengoontothe
conferenceroom.That’swhereRosenbergwillgiveaspeech.”
“Shouldwebringthecat?”Isaid.
ThequestionwasdirectedatChesterfield,whowasalreadygettingoutofthe car.
“No,don’tworry.I’lltakecareofher.IhaveaspecialplacewhereIcanputher untilit’ssafe.Trytofigureoutwhat’sgoingonatthisbuilding.I’llletyouknow howmymeetinggoes.”
Isaid‘goodbye’andgotout.BeforeIclosedthedoor,Chesterfieldleanedover thebackseat,wherehiscathadbeensittingnexttome,andstuckhisfingers throughthebarsofthecage.Hetoldherhewouldmissher,andthenthanked Parisfortakingcareofhis“littlegirl.”Thentheotheragentdroveoff,leavingus standingnexttothe“bulky,impenetrablemass”thathousedtheTempleof Mithras.
Ilookeddownthestreettogetascopeoftheentiretyofthesite.Wewereonthe westerncornerofthe“Supermanlogo”formedbythesite,withthebuildingson ourright.Ilookeddownthestreet,north‐west,andsawthedivisionbetweenthe twostructures,withthefootpathleadingdownbetweenthemtothe“arcade”as itwascalledinthepaperworkI’dseen.Therewewouldsurelyfindthepromised
“diningandretailestablishments”thattheplanssaidwouldbethere.Having onlyhadasconesincetheregurgitatedmealatthepubthepreviousnight,Iwas hungry.
“Let’sfindarestaurant,”Isaid.“Wehave40minutestokilluntiltheribbon-cutting.”
“OK,sure,”Chesterfieldagreed.
“What’sthecoffin‐shapedbuildingfor?”Iwonderedaloudaswewalkedpastit.
“Ididn’tseemuchaboutitinthedesignplans.”
“Isawitinthepermitapplications,”saidChesterfield.“Theywereatthebackof thestack.Supposedlythey’regoingtosubleaseit.ButI’llbetit’sstill completelyempty.It’sjustforrealestatespeculation.That’swhatmostofthe officebuildingsintheCityareusedfor,honestly.Hardlyanyofthemaremore thanhalf‐full.It’sashame.”
“Didyounoticeanythingelseinthepermitapps?”Iasked.
“Yes,actually,hereplied.“Thereusedtobeatunnelfromthebasementof BucklersburyHouse,whichisthebuildingthatusedtobehere.Thattunnel connectedtothebasementofMansionHouse,wheretheLordMayorlives.
Rosenbergpetitionedtokeepthisstructureandincorporateitintohisnew building.RosenbergisquitefriendlywiththeLordMayor.SoIdowonderwhat theymaybegettinguptotogether.”
Weturneddownthewalkwaybetweenthebuildings—which,accordingtothe streetsign,wasactuallythe“historicWatlingStreet,”nowrestoredtoitsformer trajectory,butwithastonetilefloorandaglassceiling.Withinafewfeetwe immediatelynoticedasignfor“OzPizzaandPing‐PongParlour,”withLewis Carrollcharacterspaintedinthewindows.Ahand‐writtensigntapedtothe insideofthedooradvertisedtheirping‐pongtournamentforthatafternoon, coincidingwiththe mithraeumopening.
IrealizedthatthiswastheplaceDrexellathepoliceladyhadmentioned.Ifound somethingaboutitinherentlyrevolting.ButChesterfieldwantedtogoin,andI wasstarving,soIwentalong.
Therestaurantcontainedsixdiningtablesandtwoping‐pongtables,beyond whichwasasetofdoorsthatseemedtoleadoutintothelobbyoftheRosenberg officebuilding.Sofarnobodyhadarrivedyetforthe“tournament.”
Theplacewasemptyexceptforusandthegreasy‐skinnedwhiteteenageboy coveredwithtattoosandpiercingswhoworkedbehindthecounter.Helooked likehewaseitherondrugsorsufferingfromsomeneurologicproblem.He staredatuswithanopenmouth.
InadditiontothepicturesofAliceandtheCheshireCatpaintedonthewindows, thereweremuralswithsimilarthemesonthewallsinside.Lampsweremounted onthewalls,allheldinplacewithplastichumanarms.Behindthecounter,there wasaframedpaintingofatrinacria,whichisagorgonheadwiththreelegsfora body,andnotmuchelse.
Atrinacriaisaheraldicemblem,partoftheflagofSicily.It’sassociatedwitha legendthatIwasfamiliarwith.Thestoryisthatthelegsrepresentthethree pillarswhich,accordingtomyth,holduptheisland.Theheadinthemiddle
signifiedalittleboynamedColapesce.Itwassaidthathevoluntarilyswam under
theislandandreplacedoneofthepillars,whichwasbroken,withhimself, thereafterservingtohelpbearthatburdeneternally.
TheownersofOzPizzamustbeSicilian,Ithought.
Otherwallart,however,wasnotaseasilyexplained.Inthecenterofthemain wallwasaposteradvertisingtheir“signeturepizza”(sp.),whichwascalled
“theBeast.”Whatstruckmeevenmorethantheawfultypoinaprofessionally-producedfull‐colorposterwastheoddwayinwhichthepizzawasslicedandthe toppingsarranged.
Thepie,which,at“10.8inches,”wasnobiggerthantheirregular“large”
size(11inches),featuredonlyfourpiecesofpepperoni,accompaniedbyjustone othertopping:asingleblackolive.Thepepperonipieceswerealloverlappingin thecenter.Onthebottomweretwopieces,intersectingsoastoforma vesica pisces shape.Thenontopofthis,inthecenterandslightlybelow,weretwo morepieces,bothintersectingwitheachother,andwiththeothertwo.Together,
ifyoutracedtheoutlineoftheshapeformedbythestackofpepperoni,you wouldseeaclassictrefoilclovershape.
Thepizzaitselfhadbeencuts
oastoformaseven‐pointedunicursalstar.
Thismeantthattherewasanouterringwithfourteenslices—seventhinones andsevenfatones.Thesesurroundedfivetinytrianglesandaheptagoninthe center.
However,thepepperonisliceswerestackedontopofthese,sothatyoucould onlyseetwoofthetinytriangles,andonlythreesidesoftheheptagon.This meantthatthepizzahadbeencutandcookedbeforethepepperoniwasputon.
Overthetopoftheupperportionofthepizza,theprice—£9.99—waswrittenin ablackfontwitharedborder,buteachdigitwasslightlymisalignedwiththe others.
Itmakesnopracticalsensetodesignitthisway,Ithought. Andwhycallit
“theBeast”whenit’snotespeciallylargeanddoesn’thaveanextraordinary amountoftoppings—infact,hardlyany?
Istaredattheposter.SodidChesterfield.Thenwestaredeachother.Ishrugged myshouldersandmouthedthewords“Ihavenoidea.”
Chesterfield,apparentlymorehungrythancurious,turnedbackaroundtothe counterandordered.
“Asimplesliceofcheesepizza,please,”hesaid.Theboyatthecounter continuedtostareathisfacefor20secondsbeforeheregisteredabelated response.
“Oh,sure,”hesaid.“Anythingforyou?”heaskedme.
“Nothanks,”Ireplied.
“Butyousaidyouwerehungry,”arguedChesterfield.“Comeon,I’llbuyagain.”
“Nothanks,”Isaid.“Ilostmyappetite.”Iwasfeelinguneasythereforsome reason,butIdidn’tknowwhy.Theboyputasliceofcheesepizzaintheoven
forChesterfield.
“Howlonghasthisplacebeenopen?”Iasked.
“Oh,aboutfourmonths,”theboyresponded.“MyMumgotmeajobhere.
Sheknowstheguywhoownsthebuilding.”
“YoumeanRosenberg?”Isaid.“Sheknowshim?”
“Yeah,Iguess,”hereplied.Clearly,heeitherdidn’tknowthedetailsofwhothe manwasandhowhismotherknewhim,orelsehejustwasn’tgoingtotellus.
Hepickedathisfingernailsforaminuteandthenpulledthepizzaoutofthe oven.
“DoyouwanttheDrizzle?”heaskedChesterfield,holdingitoutonapaper plate.
“Thewhat?”theagentreplied,bewildered.
“Oh,theDrizzleisourspecialhotsauce,”hesaid.“Youwanttotryit?”Heheld upaclearsqueezebottlefilledwitharedliquid.
“OK,sure,”saidChesterfield.Theboyputtheplatewiththehotpizzaslice downonthecounter,thenproceededtopour“theDrizzle”ontothepizza.
Somethingabouttheodorofthesauce,andthespoogingsounditmadeashe squeezeditout,causedmetoexperienceasharpwaveofnausea.Thisbrought clarity.AsheappliedtheDrizzlewithmorecarethanarealmoroncouldmuster, formingaperfectcounter‐clockwisetriangularspiral,IflashedonwhereIhad seenthatsymbolbefore.
ItwasfromtheFBI’swebsite,ontheirofficiallistofsymbolsusedbythe pedophilecommunity.Thespiraltrianglewastheinternationalsignof
“boylovers.”Ithadbeeninfamouslyfoundonthelogoofapolitically‐connected pizzaparlorinWashingtonD.C.thatsomebelievedwaspartofachild traffickingring.Thiscausedascandalthatledtothecompanychangingtheir logoinDecemberof2016.
Then,whilethinkingaboutAleisterCrowleyandhisvoraciousdefenseof pederastyinhisownwritings,Iinstinctivelyclaspedmyhandtomymouthin horrorasthenextrealizationhitme.Lookingagainattheposterforthe“Beast”
pizza,itnowoccurredtomewhatitrepresented.Iusedmyphonetodoa GoogleImageSearch,justtoconfirmwhatIalreadyknew.
Sureenough,thepizzaontheposterwasdecoratedtolookexactlylikethe
“SignetoftheBeast”designedbyAleisterCrowley.Itwasasymbolprinted, amongotherplaces,asanillustrationtogowithatextbyCrowleycalled“Liber Oz,”whichproclaimedthe“right”ofhisfollowersto“love”whoeverand howevertheir“will”desired.Italsostatedtheir“righttokill”anybodywhogot intheir
way.TheSignetconsistedofaheptagraminsideofacircle,withfourcirclesin themiddle,representedontheposterbythepepperoni.
ThesourceIreadcouldn’texplainwhatthecirclesinthemiddletrulymeant, excepttosaythattheirresemblancetoapenisandtesticleswas
“intentional.”AtthebottomoftheSignet,Crowleyhadputthenumber“666,”a numberheidentifiedwithpersonally,ashefanciedhimselftheAntichrist.On theposter,theSignethadbeencleverlyturnedupside‐downsothatthethree sixesbecamethethreeninesofthepizza’sprice.
IturnedbacktoChesterfieldtoexplainthistohim.ButthenIsawhim chompingdownhappilyonthedisgustingsliceoffilth.Iinstinctivelygrabbedit outofhismouth.
“Don’teatit!”Ishouted.Heandtheteenageboylookedatmewithconfusion.I grabbedChesterfieldbythenecktieandledhimoutthedoor,tossingthepizza sliceinthegarbagecanneartheexit.Hewiselysaidnothinguntilwegot outside,butheputafive‐poundnoteintheboy’stipjar,presumablytomakeup formyrudeness.
“What’swrong?”hesaid.“Iwashungry!AndI paidforthat!”
“ThereareCrowleysigilsandpedophilesymbolsalloverthatplace,”Isaid.
“Godknowswhattheyputin‘theDrizzle.’Whoknowswhattheyevenputin thecheese.”
“Whatexactlydoyoumean?”heasked.
IshowedhimhowthepizzaonthepostercorrespondedtotheSignetofthe Beast.ThenIexplainedhowmuchCrowleyvaluedtheingestionofsperm, menstrualblood,urineandfecesasspirituallybeneficial.Itoldhimhow Crowley’scultmemberswouldputthesesubstancesintheirEucharistcakes, called“CakesofLight,”fortheir“GnosticMass”rituals,whichwereopentothe public.Guestsattendingtheseritualswerenotwarnedofthecakes’contents.
AsIelucidated,Chesterfieldbegantoturngreen.Hewalkedtoanearbywater-fountainandrinsedhismouthout.Thenhestuckhisfingersinandappearedto contemplategagginghimselftopurgehisstomach.Buthedecidednotto.
“Nowthink,”IsaidtoChesterfield.“Youknowwe’refollowingthetrailofsome weirdoccultistswhoconjuredemons,fuckkids,murderpeopleandchopthem up.Didn’tyoueventhinkforaminutethattheremightbecuminthepizza beforeyoustartedputtingitinyourmouth?”
“Nothatdidn’toccurtome,”heanswered,embarrassedandannoyed.“SoI guesswineandcheeseatthelectureisoffthemenutoo,right?Speakingof which,let’sgetgoing.IwanttogetanicespotupfrontsoIcangetagoodlook atthisboyfuckerwhosellscumpizzaandworshipsMithras.”Hebegantowalk southeastdownthearcadetowardsWalbrook.
“He’sprobablyjustsubleasingtothecumpizzapeople,”Isaid.AsIwalked away,InoticedasmallsigninthewindowthatIhadn’tseenbefore.Itsaid,so strangely:
PIZZABYTHEHOUR
INQUIREWITHIN
Itookaphotoofitwithmyphone.ThenIsawthekidthatworkedtherewalking towardstheglassdoor,staringangrilyatme.Ihustledtocatchupwith Chesterfield.
Wegottotheendofthearcadeandturnedleft.Therewesawacrowdofmaybe
60peopleallhuddledaroundoneofthedoorsofthebuilding.Thestreethad beenblockedoffbothwaysbypolicetape,andtherewereacoupleofcopson eachendstandingguardlazily.
Weworkedourwaytothefront.Wesawthattherewerepostersonthewalls identifyingthisasthelocationofthetemple.Theseincludedphotosofsomeof theartifactsinside,andofthearcheologythathadtakenplaceovertheprevious fewyears.Thehistorianinsideofmebegantogetexcited.
Withinafewmoments,therewasabitofclamorandcommotion.
Rosenbergandhisentourage,includingseveralbodyguards,werearrivingfrom thenorthsideofthestreet.Theleadmanhimselfworeatailoredblackpinstripe suitewithbrownst
ripes,andaredroseonthelapel.Anassistantheldthe unavoidablegiantscissors,which,aftersomecheersandaforgettable introductioninRosenberg’snasallyvoice,wereusedbyhimtocuttheribbon, bringingevenmoreapplause.Thenthedoorsopened.Rosenbergpromisedto giveaspeechtothoseinterestedinconferenceroominthirtyminutes.Thenhe andhisbodyguardsdisappearedaroundthecorner.
“Well,iftheAnti‐ChristisaPoindexter,thenthatmaywellbetheAnti-Christ,”
saidChesterfield,acknowledgingtheinherentdorkinessoftherichandpowerful manthatwe’djustseen.
Afterwaitingforthepeopleinfrontofustogoinsidethetemple,wegotour turn.IletChesterfieldpaythesuggesteddonationofninepoundsforbothofus.
Thefirstroomweenteredwasagalleryfullofartifactsandframedphotos.
Offtotherighttherewasastaircaseleadingdownintothetempleitself.Not wantingtocompetewiththecrowdstogetdownthere,Isuggestedwelookat theartifactsfirst.Thatiswhereourfearsaboutthe mithraeumwereconfirmed.
ThefirstthingwesawthatwerecognizedwasthebustofSerapiswiththe modiusonhishead.Ithadbeendiscoveredalongwiththeotherartifactswhen the mithraeum wasfirstfoundbeneathBucklersburyHousein1954.Ithadalso beenfeaturedinthefilm EasterSundayAprilFool,whentheboyhadbeen castratedamongtheruins.
Afewfeetawayfromthat,wefound,inaglasscase,thelittlemetalcasketona chain,containingtheroundstrainer,whichhadalsobeenusedinthefilm.
Theplaquenexttothecasedescribeditasadeviceforstrainingand administeringpsychoactiveherbsduringrituals.Depictedonthesideofthe casketwasaperson,wholookedlikeachildtome,emergingfromarectangular boxonthegroundwhileanupright‐standinggrownmangrippedhisarmtohelp himup.
IthoughtitmightbeMithrasemergingfromthestone.Buttheplaquesaidthatit probablyillustratedadeathandrebirthritualpracticedbythecult.Inthisrite, theinitiatewouldbedruggedintoacomatosestate,buried,andthenletoutof thetombuponawakening.Iknewitverywellcouldhavebeenalittleboy becauseIhadreadthatMithra’stemplesacceptedapplicantsasyoungasseven.
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